A large number of devotees on Wednesday took holy dip in the river Falgu and performed 'Pind Daan' in Bihar's Gaya on the last day of Pitru Paksha, also known as Sarva Pitru Amavasya.
According to the Hindu calendar, Pitru Paksha or the 16-day lunar day period on Mahalaya is when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors (Pitras), marking the beginning of 'Devi Paksha', the day marked by the arrival of Goddess Durga.
Devotees believe that 'Pind Daan' helps in attaining salvation to their ancestors and the way to heaven is paved for them.
Speaking to ANI, Chandan Kumar, a devotee who performed 'Pind Daan' here said, "Today is Sarva Pitru Amavasya and it is believed that those who perform Pind Daan here get a place in the heaven."
"Every year local people come here and take a dip in this holy river to perform 'Pind Daan'. It is a very important day for all the devotees because all 'Pitras' shower their blessings today. Earlier, goddess Sita also performed it here," a priest, Ashutosh Pandey said.
Another devotee, Nandan Sharma said, "Everyone performs the ceremony of Pind Dan with devotion to pay homage to their father and mother. Today is a very important day as it is also the day of the new moon (Amavasya). So, we have also come here to perform the ceremony."
A large number of devotees also visited the banks of the holy Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj to pay their homage. Similarly, devotees were also seen performing 'Pind Dan' on the banks of river Hooghly in Kolkata.
( With inputs from ANI )
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